REQUIUM FOR JUNEAU

The enormous boat pictured, one of the Princess Line fleet, carries, I am told, over 4,000 passengers on each cruise. In this photo it was just arriving in the "harbor" off of the Juneau waterfront, and I'm sure all the tourists were eager to come ashore.
What is particularly sad is that this vessel was the fifth of five to arrive in Juneau on June 3rd this year, and that these visitors were going to have to fight the crowds from the other four tour ships on the narrow streets and sidewalks of oldtown Juneau.
What's worse is that residents of Alaska's capitol city can no longer can enjoy their own city during the summer months. As a former resident, I am appalled both at the transformation tourism has caused the formerly quaint and historic downtown and how little of the funds spent by the visitors remains in town as compensation for the loss. I grieve for Juneau over what I see has happened to a nice little town over the last decade.